WHO WILL BE SAVED? by WM. G. BUCKLAND.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 9, 1867

WHO WILL BE SAVED?

By WM. G. BUCKLAND.

The hope of eternal life as brought to light in the Scriptures of truth, is a subject of great interest to the religious world; especially to those who are trying to walk in the way of truth, by observing all of the commandments of God. Life and death, that is, eternal life and eternal death, are brought to light, and placed in contrast by the sacred word of inspiration, and every person will have a portion, in one or the other as their reward, according as their works have been; those that have done good, walked humbly and meekly in tribulation, and lived godly and righteous lives upon the earth, will have eternal life given to them, as their reward. Then says the objector, you are going to merit eternal life by your good works! By no means. No man can merit life by his works. Death stands with open arms to receive all in his cold and icy embrace; and were it not that the great Life-giver hath obtained the keys of death and hell, our hope would perish in the grave, for all have sinned and become transgressors of the law. The preacher tells us that “the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep his commandments.” When we have done this, we have done nothing but our duty, and can claim nothing for doing it; but the Lord hath promised, if we do our duty faithfully, that he will give us eternal life as a reward. Those that fear not the Lord to respect his commandments, and exercise no faith in the Lord Jesus and his word, and walk not in the ways of truth and righteousness, will find that they have eternal death as their portion, and they have richly merited it.

As many are striving for a crown of life, we may do well to inquire who will be saved; not that we wish to judge any man in righteousness or unrighteousness, but would examine some of those testimonies which show what characters must be developed in order to stand in the final judgment. With so many professedly running the Christian race, there is danger, yea, it is quite probable, that some are relying on a false hope, building on a sandy foundation. The apostle Paul says that in running a race, we must lawfully run if we would be crowned; and he compares the Christian’s course in life to those games anciently practiced with this difference: there, only one could be crowned, while in this, all may be. We find in the language of our Saviour in Matt. vii, that many will come up to that day and be rejected of him, because they have not done the will of his Father. The class the Lord mentions are not the bold blasphemers, the profane and wicked men; not the unbeliever, but those that have made a profession of his name; self-deceived mankind. They have believed that it mattered little whether they regarded the commandments of God or not. They are represented as coming after the doors are shut, and saying, “Open unto us.” They claim an entrance on the ground that they have done many mighty things in his name; but mark his answer: “Depart from me ye workers of iniquity.” These are a class that have been building on a false hope. Peter says, in speaking of a class that are called to a high and holy profession, that they should be pure and holy, even as he is holy that has called them. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot.” Now since we are redeemed from the rudiments of the world by so precious an offering “we should cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” How far should this purifying process continue? Oh, say some, all that is needful is to have faith in Christ; further than this is not necessary; our eating and drinking can have nothing to do with our salvation. Paul’s reasoning is different from this. You notice in speaking of cleansing ourselves, he mentions the “filthiness of the flesh” first, thus giving to this part of the work as great importance as to any part of it. Why is it so? By turning to 1 Cor. xvi, you will see at once his reasons. Says Paul, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” In 2 Cor. he continues his argument. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” What are the promises spoken of? “And I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” What are the conditions of these promises? that we should clear the temples of idols, “As God hath said, I will dwell in them, (that is in the temple,) and walk in them; and I will be their God and they shall be my people.” But says the objector, I cannot see how our bodies can be the temple of idols. What are the idols? I would ask those who love tobacco and delight themselves in the filthy weed; those who lust after tea and coffee, and desire and will have the flesh of the hog, that great scavenger, the most filthy of all the animal kingdom; and bow themselves to the shrine of fashion, and regard not temperance in eating and drinking; are not these idols? and have ye not dedicated your bodies as temples for them? “Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” No man can serve two masters; he will love one and hate the other. If we delight ourselves in those things in which the world take pleasure, we have made ourselves friends of the world; but the “friendship of the world is enmity with God.” The apostle says, “Be not conformed to this world.” How are we conformed to this world? By doing just as the world does. Paul entreats us. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” He entreats us by the sure mercies of God which are great, to do those things which are not convenient to the carnal heart but are healthy for the soul, that we may find a covering in his mercies in the day of his indignation. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temples ye are.”

The last message of mercy is being sounded throughout the land, that sinners may be warned to flee from the wrath to come. The result of the message is to prepare a people, pure and holy, for the Master’s use, that when he comes they may be like him.” “Beloved now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” WM. G. BUCKLAND. Albion, N. Y.